Telemetering system for reading remotely loacted utility meters



Aug. 9, 1966 N. s. HIGGINS TELEMETERING S YSTEM FOR HEADING REMOTELY LOCATED UTILITY METERS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 4, 1962 Khumbu ATTORNE V Aug 9, 1966 s. HIGGINS 3,266,018

N. TELEMETERING SYSTEM FOR READING REMOTELY LOCATED UTILITY METERS Flled 001'.. 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gli l TELEPHONE scAA/N/Na APP/1 ,QA-Tus l POWER SUPPLY Allg 9, 1966 N. s. HIGGINS 3,266,018

TELEMETERING SYSTEM FOR READING REMOTELY LOCATED UTILITY METERS Filed Oct. 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. FIG. ,1r/G2@ 2A f 2B FIG.v 2B

/N VENTO@ By N.$. HIGGINS A TTOR/VEV Aug. 9, 1966 N s. HIGGINS 3,266,018

TELEMETERING S'TSTEM FOR READING REMOTELY LOCATED UTILITY METERS Filed Oct. 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Aug. 9, 1966 Filed Oct. 4, 1962 N. TELEMETERING SYST S.}4N3(3H4S LOCATED UTILITY METERS F/G. 4A

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EM FOR READING REMOTELY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVVENTOR QMM UnitedStates Patent() This invention relates to telemetering systems, and in particular to systems forV automatically ,reading remotely located utility lmeters from a central station.

yPublic utility systems that .supply services such as gas,

- electricity, and water generally provide at each customers location ameter for measuring the amount of the particular service that is consumed. In order to bill each customer for the services provided, utility systems typically employ a number of persons tovisit each meter periodically and to read visually theamount of service consumed. Since the number of individual customers receiving the Aabove services in a given locality is ordinarily quite large,

`the employment of suilicient persons to read meters in this fashion involves a considerable -expense on'the part of local utility systems. In addition, there is always a small but significant number of meters which are not accessible at any given time, -thereby requiring. additional visits by meter reading employees and fur-ther 'increasing the .expense of reading meters. l l t In order to reduce the expense of reading meters, the present invention provides `an automatic telemetering system which may be operated byk a relatively small Vnumber of persons to read meters faster and more y'economically than the present visual `arrangement described above. The telemetering system of this invention comprises a central station at which the operating personnel are located, and a separateremote station `at each customers location. The central stationand the `remote stations ,are linked by a suitable medium, for example, a telephone network, and the reading of .a meter at a remote station is initiated by an electrical interrogating signal sent from the central station to the remote station through the linking medium. At the remote station of this invention, the interrogating signalis converted automatically into a data signal representativeof the reading of the meter, and from .the information conveyed by the vdata signal, a suitable record is made at the central station for use in billing the customer for the amount of service consumed.

In the remote station of this invention, automatic .conversion of .the interrogating signal into a data signal starts with the sequential application of the interrogating signal to a number of electrical networks or paths whose instantaneous resistances are representative of the instantaneous reading of the meter apparatus of this invention. The electrical paths form a par-t of a variable frequency oscillator that generates from the sequentially applied interrogating signal a data signal comprising a corresponding sequence of components whose Afrequencies are indicative of the resistan-ces of the electrical paths and therefore of the reading of the meter. At the central station, the frequencies of the data signal components are detected, and the reading represented by the sequence `of frequencies is stored in an Vappropriate form.

The resistances of the above-mentioned electrical networks are varied to represent the instantaneous reading of the meter by a corresponding set of indicator units that comprise the meter apparatus of the lpresent invention. Each indicator unit contains astationary dial face and an indicator pointer mounted on a rotatable shaft driven by the imeter. The shaft in each indicator unit is made Asuiiiciently long to accommodate a numberof so-calle'cl 'code discs mounted substantially parallel to the vdial face.

.disc is in juxtaposition with the switch.

Patented August 9, 1966 lice The annulus -of each code disc is constructed of magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors according toa prearranged code, and disposed about each code disc is a magnetically actuated switch.' As the shaft rotates, the code discs also y rotate, and whenever the magnetic sector of a code disc krespect to the dial face.

By :connecting the switches ofeach indicator unit in parallel -with the resistance elements in the corresponding 4electrical network, each switch shunts a corresponding resistance element whenever a magnetic sector of a code In this fashion, the instantaneous resistance of a network represents the instantaneous reading of an indica-tor unit, which in turn .is reflected in the frequency of Va corresponding component -of the data signal generated by the oscillator from the interrogating signal passing through the network.

A particular advantage -of the meter apparatus of this invention is the relatively small expense required to incorporate the features of the indicator uni-ts into existing meter apparatus. For example, conventional meters already contain a number of dial faces `and associa-ted pointers secured to rotatable shafts which are driven'by the meter. Hence, existing meters may be ladapted to the telemetering system of the presentv invention at relatively low cost.

The invention will be fully understood from the'following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof taken in connection `with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram -of a complete telemetering system embodying the principles of this invention; j

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing details of the remote station apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2C is a diagram showing the relationship `between FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a suitable arrangement 'of the elements .of a single indicator unit at a remote COMPLETE SYSTEM Referring iirst to FIG. l, this drawing illustrates a complete telemetering system 4for automatically reading a plurality of remotely located meters from a central recording station. Atv central recording station 100, `a conventional telephone subscribers subset isused to establish a connection to one of a plurality of remote stations 101-1 through 101-n'through a central telephone oliice 102 and subsets 6-1 through 6-n. If the telephone line at the called station is busy, the connection is broken, and a call isplaced to the next remote meter station, VIt' the telephone line at the called station is idle, then control sw-itch 3 is operated to connect interrogating signal source 2 to the line. Control switch 3 may be either a manually operated double pole, triple-throw switch, or -a group of suitably timed relays. Source 2 generates an interrogating signal that is transmitted to the'called station, for example, remote station 101-1, in order to initiate the operation of the remote station equipment.

Upon receiving the interrogating signal at remote station`101-1, control switch 8, which is shown in detail in FIG. 2A together with the other components of station 101-1, passes the signal to scanning apparatus 9 and variable frequency oscillator 7. The interrogating signal y, actuates scanning apparatus 9 which delivers theA interrogating signal to meter 10, and powers oscillator 7 so that the interrogating signal passed through meter 10 may be automatically converted into a data signal indicative l of the reading f meter 10' at that instant.

nal from `oscillator 7 is detected at central recording sta- Vtion 100, where switch 3 is operated to pass the data signal to detector 5. Detector 5 changes the data signal into a Aform suitable for recording, and recording apparavtus 4 makes a permanent record from the output signal vof detector 5. Recording apparatus 4 may comprise automatic translating and Ibilling equipment analogous to the The data sig- .automatic message accounting systems which lare well known in the telephone art.

vAfter recording the information contained in a data i signal from a particular remote station, the connection to vthat station is terminated, and a connection to another station is established until all of the remote stations have been interrogated. It is apparent, however, that a number of remote stations may be readat the same time by providing additional apparatus at central station REMOTE STATION APPARATUS FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate in detail the structure of tionhas 'been established to telephone subset 6-1 at the .customers location, an interrogating signal from the cen- .tral recording station is sent over the telephone line to 'control switch 8. The interrogating signal utilized in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A is a direct-current signal whose polarity is opposite to that of the regular battery signal from the telephone central olice, and diode 81 is so poled that the regular battery signal does not pass to the remote meter apparatus. However, when a connecf tion is established from the central recording station to the remote station, the central oflice battery is discon- .nected and the interrogating signal is passed |by diode 81 to the`other components of remote station 1011-1. It will be apparent to those skilled in the telephone art that an 'alternating-current signal may be utilized as an interrogating signal instead of a direct-current signal, with appro- Ypriate modifications of the structure of control switch 8.

Diode 81 passes the interrogating signal to coil 82 to generate a magnetic-field and thereby close the contacts of magnetic reed switch 83, where switch 83 may be of "the type disclosed in W. B. Ellwood Patent 2,289,830, issued July 14, 1942. As shown in FIG. 2A and in the Ellwood patent, switch 83 comprises two magnetic reeds or contacts enclosed in a gas-tight envelope made of a material such as glass, thereby preventing interaction between the contacts and undesired environmental` inuences external to the envelope. Reed switch 83 is interposed between'power supply 91 and drive motor 92 of scanning apparatus 9 so that the closing of switch 83 actuates drive motor 92. In addition, the output terminal of coil 82 is connected to oscillator 7 and common conductor 95 of scanning apparatus 9 in order to pass the interrogating signal through meter 10 to oscillator 7 for conversion into a data signal indicative of the reading of meter 10.

fWithin scanning apparatus 9, a relatively thin, circular disc 94 is secured to the rotatable drive shaft 93 of -motor 92 soA that after motor 92 is actuated by the closing of magnetic reed switch 83, the rotation of shaft 93 turns disc 94. The structure of disc 94 is illustrated in detail 4in FIGS. 5A and 5B, where the shaded annular sector indicates that this portion of the disc is composed of a permanent magnetic material having a relatively high coercive force, for example, barium ferrite, and the unshaded area indicates that the remaining portion of the disc is constructedof a suitable nonmagnetic material.

v4ing electrical networks whose resistances indicate the Y:function of the resistanees of the successive networks to 'which the interrogating signal is applied wi-thin meter 10.

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through On, 35

113. Oscillator 7 is a conventional transistorized resist- 4 Surrounding disc 94 are a plurality of n+1 magnetic reed switches 96-0 through 96-n which may be of a construction similar to that of reed switch 83. Reed switches 96-0 through 96-n are positioned so that the normally open gap in each switch is bisected by a plane` ksuccessively closes the contacts of not more than one switch at a time. By way of example, FIG. 5B illustrates a position o'f disc 94 in which the contacts of reed switch 96-1 are closed by the magnetic eld of the magnetic portion of disc 94, and in which it is observed that the contacts of all of the other switches .are open. e

Returning to IFIG. 2A, the input terminals of reed switches 96-0 through 96-11 are connected lthrough common conductor 95 to the output terminal of coi-l 82, while 'the output terminal of eachreed switch 96-0 through 96-n .is connected to a corresponding input point ID through In, respectively, of meter 10 in FIG. 2B. By this arrangement, the successive closing of the contacts of reed switches 96-0 through 96-n due to the rotation of disc 94 causes the interrogating signal from coil 82 to be successively applied to input points I0 through In of meter 10 Input points I0 through In lead to (n+1) correspondreading of meter 10 in themanner described below. Each electrical network is terminated in an output point O0 respectively, and the output points lare connected to oscillator 7 -by means of a common conductor lance-capacitance circuit for generating from the interrogating signal successivelyappearing lat output points. O0

through On of meter 10 |a corresponding succession of (n-I-l) output signals whose frequencies are primarily a The succession of output signals generated by oscillator 7 constitute the data signal of this invention from which the central recording station makes la record of the reading of meter 10.

'Ilhe resistances ofthe electrical networks in meter 10 indicate the reading of meter 10 in the following manner.

l The irst electrical network to which the interrogating signal is applied extends -between input point I0 and output point O0 and comprises an adjustable resistor 11 whose' resistance is set .at a predetermined value;`hence the first 'component of the data signal generated by oscillator 7, is normally constant in frequency. This rst component serves to indicate to the central recording station 'the start. of the telemetering of a particular remote sta- `tion. In addition, any deviation in frequency of the rst component from its preassigned constant value serves as an indication of possible malfunctioning of the remote station apparatus.

If desire-d, the single reference network between points I0 and O0 mlay be replacedby a plimality of reference networks between a correspond-ing plurality of Iinput and output points in order to identify eaclh remote station lwith a plurality of frequency components instead of asingle frequency components. Of course, each reference network requires a separate connection to scanning appay,ratus 9, and within scanning apparatus 9 reed switch 96-0 must be replaced by a separate reed switch for each refe-rence network. l

Each of the succeeding electrical networks to which the interrogating signal is Iapplied in imeter 10 corresponds to so-callled indicator units 12-1 through 12-n. These .indicator units .are in one-to-one correspondence with the number of .digits Iused` to measure the quantity of service .which is consumed; for example, if the quantity of service is measured in terms of an 1r=6 digit decimal -number, then meter containsY n=6 indicator units. Since the mange of values of each digit in conventional numbering sys-tems is identical, that isin a decimal system ,each vdigit varies over the same range ,of ten values from 0 through 9, the indicator units in meter 10 are ident-ical .in Structure with .each other; therefore, only indicator unit 12-1 is shown in 'detail in FIG. 2b.

Each electrical networkcomprises a plurality of resistance elements connected in series, with a magnetic reed switch being connected in parallel with each resistor.'

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2B, the electrical network corresponding to unit 12-1 comprises four -resistors 122-1 through122-4 connected in series, with magnetic reed switches 121-1 through 121-4 each being connected in parallel with a corresponding resistor. YThe `resistance vlalues of the resistors may be chosen to produce whatever discrete requencies 'are desired in the signals generated by oscillator 7.

The total resistance of each networkis varied -to reflect the ten possible values of the kdecimal digit indicated by `each indicator unit by `the coding arrangement shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, land `3'. It is `to be noted lat this point that FIG. 3 'shows a perspective view of a suitable structure v:for indicator unit 12-1, while FIG. 2B' illustrates only thefuncrtional relationships between the elements of unit l2-1. It is to be understood that structural arrangements .other than that shown in FIG. 3 may be utilized if desired.

Within uni-t 12-1 there is provided a stationary dial face l1,23 inscribed with the *ten possible values, zero through nine, of the decimal digit to be indicated' by unit ;12-1. The instantaneous value of the digit represented by unit 12- 1 is indicated visually by the angular position of ,an indicator pointer 124 with respect -to the numbers on the face of dial 123. Pointer 124 is secured to la rotatable slhaft 125 which isdriven by a conventional meter .mechanism (not shown) in response .to consumption of the particular service being supplied. g

Also secured Vto shaft 125 are .a plurality of code discs 1Z0-1 through 120-4 each of which contains an Ian-nulos constructed of magnetic and nonmalgnetic sectors. The magnetic sectors may be ya permanent magnetic-material of high coercive force such as barium ferrite, these magnertic sectors being indicatedby the shladed arelas in the drawings. rIlhe size and location of each magnetic sector is constructed according to the code that is explained Vbelow in connection with FIGS. 4A and 4B, and the remaining portion of each disc, as indicate-d by the unsbaded areas in the drawings, isvconstructed of any suit- Iabile lightweight, nonmagnetic material. By using .a high coercive for-ce material such as barium ferrite for the magnetic sectors of the discs, however, the total weight of the 'discs in 'an indicator unit remains sufficiently small so tli'at the magnitude of the torque required to rotate shaft 125 is on the order 'of that required to rotate the analogous shaft in a conventional meter. i

The resistance of the electrical network corresponding to unit 12-1 is made to vary as a functioin of the instantaneousvalue of the digit represented by uni-t 12-1 by locating each magnetic reed switch in close proximity ,to its corresponding code disc, a suitable arrangementbeing shown in FIG. 3. Each reed switch is positioned so that the normally open gap between its two contacts is bisected by a plane perpendicular to shaft 125 and lying approximately midway between the .opposite faces of the corresponding code disc. In addition, each switch is positioned suiiiciently close to its kcorresponding disc, without touching the disc, so that whenever a magnetic 4sector of the disc is in juxtaposition with the normally open gap between the pair of contacts of the switch, the magnetic iield of the sector closes the contacts of the switch. Further, the magnetic reed switches are positioned in alignment with a predetermined reference point;

-in parallel.

'6 for example, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3,' the alignment is with respect to the numeral 0 on the face of dial 123.

The resistance of the corresponding electrical network therefore varies with the instantaneous value of the digit represented by unit 12-1 because whenever a magnetic sector of a code disc is in juxtaposition with its associated reed switch, the closing ofthe contacts .of the switch shunts the resistor with which the switch is connected These variations in resistance are reflected in the discrete frequency of the output signalgenerated by oscillator 7 from the interrogating signal applied lto the network `corresponding to unit 12-1.

The speciiic manner in which the resistance of an electrical network in meter 10 is varied depends upon the coding principle utilized to construct the/configurations of the magnetic and nonmagnetic sections of the code discs. The embodiment of a preferred code is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B,-where the code is the well-known `reiiected binary, excess three code, an explanation of which may be found'in Reference Date for Radio En- .,gineers, by International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, pages 882 and 884 (4th edition, 1956). This code possesses two advantages: l(l) at least one reed switch is closed for every one of the ten values, including by the numerals on dial 123. For convenience in .description, these ten sectorsare labeled in FIG. 4B 0 -through f9 in the same counterclockwise sense as the numerals on dial 123. The magnetic sectors of code disc 1Z0-1 aretherefore sectors labeled 3, 44, 7, and .8, of

disc 1Z0-2, sectors labeled 8, 9, 0, 1, 2, and 3, of disc -3, sectors labeled 2 through 9 and of disc 120-4, sectors labeled 1 through 5. y

For example, whenunit 12-1 indicates yafvalue of zero, pointer 124 points to the numeral 0 on dial 123, the contacts of reed switches 121-1', 1,21-3, and 121-4 are open, and the contacts of reed switch 121-2 are closed. This pattern of open and closed switches represents the four-digit binary number 0010, where .the iirst and second Os on the leftare represented by open reed switches 121-4 and 121-3, respectively, the l is represented by the closed reed switch 121-2, andthe 0" on the right is represented by the open reed switch 121-1, The table in FIG. 4A summarizes the open and closed conditions of the various ,switches for each of the ten Values in four-digit binary numbers based upon this representation. Thus, the value seven is representedjby the binary number 1111, which means that all of the switches are closed. Examination of FIG. 4B reveals that when pointer 124 has rotated to point to the numeral "7 on dial 123, the code discs will be rotated so that 'the sector labeled u3 on each disc will be in juxtaposition with the corresponding reed switch. Since the sector labeled 3 on each disc is composed ofv magnetic material, the contacts of all of the switches will be closed, thereby demonstrating the correspondence between the code number 1111 in the table of FIG. 4A and the configurations of the code discs in FIG. 4B.

Although the indicator units of this invention have been described above in terms of a decimal number systern, it is apparent that these indicator units may be adapted to any number system by appropriately modifying the number of code discs in each indicator unit and the -conguartions of the magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors ofthe code discs. Y y

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are merely illustrative of applications of the princi- 7 ples of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A telemetering-system that comprises a central station including a source vof interrogating sign-al,

a plurality of remote stations,

transmission medium for sending said interrogating signal from said central recording station to said remote stations,

means at each of said remote stations for automatically converting said interrogating signal into a data signal representative of the reading of each of 4said remote stations, each of said converting means1 including y a meter having a plurality of indicator units, each of said indicator units including a stationary dial face and an indicating pointer therefor secured to a rotatable shaft driven by said meter,

ai plurality of code discs mounted on said rotatable shaft in substantially parallel spaced relation to said dial face, the annulus of each of said code discs being constructed of magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors according to a prearranged code, and

a pluralityA of switching means each of which is provided with a pair of magnetically -actuated contacts separated by a gap and is disposed with respect to one of said code discs so that the gap between said contacts is closed whenever the edge of a magnetic sector of the respective disc is rotated by said shaft to be in juxtaposition with said gap,

a plurality of resistance networks corresponding to said plurality of indicator units, each of said resistance networks being provided with an input terminal, an output terminal, and a plurality of series-connected resistance elements in one-to-one correspondence' with said switching means in each of said indicator units,

means for connecting each of said switching means in parallel with said corresponding resistance element so that the resistance of said network varies as said discs are rotated by said shaft with respect to said switching means,

means for sequentially applying said interrogating signal to the input terminal of each of said resistance networks,

oscillator means for developing from said sequentially applied interrogating signal a data signal comprising a sequence of components each having a frequency representative of the resistance of one of said networks,

common conducting means for connecting the output terminals of said networks to said oscillator, and

means for connecting said oscillator means to said transmission medium.

2. Apparatus for adapting to a telemetering system a meter having a stationary dial face and an indicating pointer therefor secured to a rotatable shaft driven by said meter comprising, in combination,

a plurality of code discs mounted on said rotatable shaft in substantially parallel spaced relation to said dial face, the annulus of each of said code discs being constructed of magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors according to a predetermined coding arrangement,

a plurality of switches havingmagnetically actuated contacts separated by a gap and disposed in one-toone correspondence with said code discs so that the gap between the contacts of each of said switches is closed whenever the edge of a magnetic sector of the corresponding disc is rotated by said shaft to be in juxtaposition with said gap,

a resistance network including an input terminal, an

output terminal, and a plurality of series-connected resistance elements in one-to-one correspondence with said switches,

means for connecting each of said switches in parallel with said corresponding resistance element so that the resistance of said network varies as the magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors of said code discs are rotated by said shaft with respect to said switches, the instantaneous resistance of said network thereby indicating the instantaneous reading of said pointer with respect to said dial face,

a source of an interrogating signal,

means for applying said interrogating signal to the input terminal of said network,

an oscillator for developing from said applied interrogating signal a data signal with a frequency representative of the instantaneous resistance of said network, and

means for connecting the output terminal of said network to said oscillator.

3. Apparatus for adapting to a telemetering system a meter having a plurality of indicator units, each indicator unit including a stationary dial face and an indicating pointer therefor secured to a rotatable shaft driven by said meter, comprising, in combination,

a plurality of code discs mounted in each indicator unit on said rotatable shaft in substantially parallel spaced relation to said dial face, the annulus of each of said code discs being constructed of magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors according to a predetermined coding arrangement,

a plurality of switches having magnetically actuated contacts separated by a gap and disposed in each indicator unit in one-to-one correspondence with said code discs so that the gap between the contacts of each of said switches is closed whenever the edge of a magnetic sector of the corresponding disc is in juxtaposition with said gap,

a plurality of resistance networks in one-to-one correspondence with said indicator units, each resistance network including an input terminal, an output terminal, and a plurality of series-connectedlresistance elements in one-to-one correspondence with said plurality of switches disposed in each indicator unit,

means for connecting each of said switches in parallel with said corresponding resistance element so that the resistance of each of said networks varies as the magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors of said code discs in said corresponding indicator unit are rotatedby said shaft with respect to said switches, the instantaneous resistance of each of said networks thereby indicating the instantaneous reading of said pointer with respect to said dial face,

a source of an interrogating signal,

means for successively applying said interrogating signal to the input .terminal of each of said networks,

an oscilator for developing from said successively applied interrogating signal a data signal comprising a plurality of components each having a frequency representative of the instantaneous resistance of one of said networks, and

common conductor means for connecting the output terminals of said networksA to saidoscillator.

4. Coding apparatus for converting an incoming interrogating signal into an outgoing data signal representative of the reading of a meter having a stationary di-al face and an indicating pointer therefor secured to a rotatable shaft driven by said meter which comprises a plurality of code discs mounted on said rotatable shaft in substantially parallel spaced relation to said dial face, the annulus of each of said code discs being constructed of magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors laccording to a prearranged code,

an electrical network having an input and an output point and including a plurality of magnetic reed switches each of which is in parallel with a predetermined resistance element, each of said magnetic red switches comprising a p'air of magneticaly actuated contacts separated by a gap and each of said 10 between said contacts is closed Whenever the edge of a magnetic sector of the respective disc is rotated by said shaft to be in juxtaposition with said gap.

magnetic reed switches disposed with respect to onek of said code discs so that the gap between said contacts is closed Whenever the edge of a magnetic sector of the respective disc is rotated by said shaft to References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS be in juxtaposition with said gap, and 15301936 3/1925 Gfeenweod 20o-19 means for applying said interrogating signal t0 said Y 1,889'597 11/1932 Fltzefald 1797-2. Yinput point of said electrical network so that there 2807664 9/1957 Kliemberg et al 340-345 is developed at said output point of said electrical 2:829229 3/1958 Metz 317-147 XR network a data signal representative of the open 2,870,258 1/1959 Cooper 340-183 and closed condition of the contacts of said switches. 3046534 7/1962 const ant 340-347 5. Coding apparatus comprising a stationary dial face 30729894 1/1963 Chapm 340-1515( inscribed with ten equally spaced decimal numerals 0 15 3,087,030 4/1963 ShebanOW 20o-19 through 9 in Sequence, 3,104,382 9/ 1963 Morgan et al 340-347 X an indicating pointer for said dial face secured to a 3,114,020 12/1963 Hau '20o-87 rotatable Shaft, 3,127,594 3/1964 Roe et al. S17- 148.5 X four code discs mounted on said shaft in substantially Y 31133173 5/1964 Vflens 20o-"87 parallel spaced relation to said dial face, each of FOREIGN PATENTS said code discs having an annulus constructed 0f f magnetic and nonmagnetic sectors according to a 475,525 4/1929 Germany; l predetermined code, wherein the size and location 299,572 1928 Great Entamof each magnetic and nonmagnetic sector is con- OTHER REFERENCES structed to represent in coded form the position of g s,

said pointer with respect to said numerals on said dial Pubhcatlon: Recordfng F10W Meter Readmgs by face, and Y Paul Constant, IElectronics-Industr1es, May 1961; pp. 156- four magnetic reed switches, each Yof which is provided n 159' with a pair of magnetically actuated contacts separated by a gap and each of which is disposed with respect to one of said code discs so that the gap NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner.

P. XIARHOS, A. WARING, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TELEMETERING SYSTEM THAT COMPRISES A CENTRAL STATION INCLUDING A SOURCE OF INTERROGATING SIGNAL, A PLURALITY OF REMOTE STATIONS, TRANSMISSION MEDIUM FOR SENDING SAID INTERROGATING SIGNAL FROM SAID CENTRAL RECORDING STATION TO SAID REMOTE STATIONS, MEANS AT EACH OF SAID REMOTE STATIONS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONVERTING SAID INTERROGATING SIGNAL INTO A DATA SIGNAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE READING OF EACH OF SAID REMOTE STATIONS, EACH OF SAID CONVERTING MEANS INCLUDING A METER HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDICATOR UNITS, EACH OF SAID INDICATOR UNITS INCLUDING A STATIONARY DIAL FACE AND AN INDICATING POINTER THEREFOR SECURED TO A ROTATABLE SHAFT DRIVEN BY SAID METER, A PLURALITY OF CODE DISCS MOUNTED ON SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SPACED RELATION TO SAID DIAL FACE, THE ANNULUS OF EACH OF SAID CODE DISCS BEING CONSTRUCTED OF MAGNETIC AND NONMAGNETIC SECTORS ACCORDING TO A PREARRANGED CODE, AND A PLURALITY OF SWITCHING MEANS EACH OF WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED CONTACTS SEPARATED BY A GAP AND IS DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF SAID CODE DISCS SO THAT THE GAP BETWEEN SAID CONTACTS IS CLOSED WHENEVER THE EDGE OF A MAGNETIC SECTOR OF THE RESPECTIVE DISC IS ROTATED BY SAID SHAFT TO BE IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH SAID GAP, A PLURALITY OF RESISTANCE NETWORKS CORRESPONDING TO SAID PLURALITY OF INDICATOR UNITS, EACH OF SAID RESISTANCE NETWORKS BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INPUT TERMINAL, AN OUTPUT TERMINAL, AND A PLURALITY OF SERIES-CONNECTED RESISTANCE ELEMENTS IN ONE-TO-ONE CORRESPONDENCE WITH SAID SWITCHING MEANS IN EACH OF SAID INDICATOR UNITS, 